Get Your Family Back
by ScrewedMuse
Summary: Nathan wants his family back. HeidiNathan COMPLETE
1. Phone Call

**Disclaimer**: Owned by NBC.

* * *

_Get your family back. Don't let you children hate you. Not if you can help it._

"You were wrong about a lot of things Ma but you were right about what I need to do." Nathan hadn't quite realized how much further he needed to go to get his family back. "Journey of a thousand steps begins with one."

Nathan exhaled as he held the cordless phone. Slowly he punched in a number, watching each digit appear on the LCD. Inhaling deeply he blew out the air in an attempt to slow his speeding heartbeat and hit "TALK".

…RING…RING…RI-"Hello."

Nathan's voice caught in his throat.

"Hello" the other end sounded once more, though the voice sounded less certain.

"Heidi, it's Nathan." A pause answered him. "I wanted to know if we could talk."

"Sure Nathan. What do you want to talk about?"

"Us, the boys," he started simply. "My family," he added after a moment of thought.

"That sounds like a good idea. I've wanted to talk to you ever since you saw the boys illegally and your mother was arrested," Heidi said with a familiar hint of annoyance that until that moment he had forgotten that he missed.

"I wanted to know if we could meet on Saturday and talk, face to face." Nathan truly hoped that the desperation he felt had not leaked into his voice.

"Okay. Why don't you come down here? I'll send the boys to a friend's and you can come to the house. You have the address?"

"Yeah, I have it. I'll see you on Saturday. Goodbye" Nathan hit "END" after hearing Heidi's soft "Bye".

Nathan crossed the apartment and thought idly, "Wonder if I can beat my record for getting to DC."

* * *

A/N: Please review and let me know if anyone wants me to continue. 


	2. Conversation

**Disclaimer**: Heroes is owned by NBC. This story is mine.

* * *

Nathan landed in a small cluster of trees at the end of the suburban street. He walked down the street toward his in-laws. Heidi had been living with her parents outside of DC ever since she left.

Steadying himself once more, Nathan rang the doorbell. Heidi opened the door and the first thing Nathan noticed was her beauty. She was more striking than his memory. She also looked more tired. The spark, that had always flared, wasn't gone but it had noticeably dimmed.

"Hi Nathan, come in" Heidi stepped to one side and held open the door. Looking out to the street "You drive?"

"No. I took the train. Save on gas. Are your parents here?" Nathan asked slowly advancing and taking in the space's slightly threadbare couches, high ceilings, and a tall ladder standing in a corner.

"Don't worry. Mom and Dad just left on a cruise for their fortieth anniversary. They're in the Caribbean for the next two weeks." Heidi sunk down into a sofa while Nathan placed himself on the matching loveseat opposite. "I didn't tell them you were coming down. I love my parents but I can't handle anymore of their loving suggestions for fixing our marriage." They sat in silence for a few seconds.

"They have any good ideas?" Nathan asked with an awkward grin.

"Getting you down here and talking it out," Heidi replied simply.

"I knew I liked them." Nathan steadied himself once more. "So let's talk."

* * *

As they spoke, shadows grew and began to overtake the world outside. A corner of the living room had grown darker as well to the point where Nathan was forced to comment. "One of your lights has gone out." 

Heidi sighed heavily, "Yeah. Burnt out the second my parents left. I tried to change it last night but only Dad's tall enough to reach it on the ladder. It's going to drive me nuts having it out for two weeks."

"I could change it for you," Nathan offered.

"I couldn't ask you to d-"

"You didn't. I offered. It'll make me feel useful."

"Okay," Heidi got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. "I have a new one in…" Heidi's voice faded. "Nathan, what time do you have?"

"Quarter 'til six, why?"

"Oh, sh-shoot" Nathan stood up and headed toward the kitchen upon hearing Heidi almost curse. "I forgot to get Simon's prescriptions and the pharmacy closes at six."

Heidi began to grab items and shove them into her purse. "I've got to pick 'em up,_now_." She stopped and asked "You'll be fine alone for ten minutes, right?"

Nathan stared at her. "Honey, I'm almost forty. I can be alone for ten minutes."

"Right, sorry, force of habit," Heidi apologized while heading out the door. "Be right back."

Nathan heard the car's engine turn over and drive away. He walked back to the kitchen and grabbed the new bulb. Continuing into the living room, Nathan took a look at the ladder. "I always hated ladders," Nathan thought as he slowly and purposefully ascended to the ceiling. Unscrewing the burnt bulb, he held the new one between his teeth.

Heidi suddenly came back though the door, her head in her purse, "Nathan, did you see my wallet?" Heidi looked up to hear his answer as she came into the living room and her eyes continued up until she saw Nathan suspended in midair.

"Heidi," Nathan mumbled through the bulb.

Heidi's eyes slowly rolled back and she fainted dead away.

A/N: I stole the idea of floating to change a light bulb from a deleted scene in "Cautionary Tales". Please R&R.


	3. Confession

**Disclaimer**: Heroes is owned by NBC. This story is mine.

A/N:This is set after Volume 2 and AU disregarding "Powerless"

* * *

Heidi slowly came back to the world. She was stretched out on the couch where many naps had previously taken place. "Why did I lie down? Nathan will be here soon," she thought. Heidi opened her eyes and saw Nathan kneeling over her. Heidi jerked herself into a sitting position. 

"Honey, you okay?" Nathan watched Heidi intently, looking for any signs of…anything.

"Please tell me I didn't see what I thought I saw," Heidi begged.

Considering his options Nathan asked, "What did you see?" knowing full well what she saw.

"I saw you changing a light bulb." Heidi slowly meted out her answer. "You weren't using the ladder. You were" Heidi obviously struggled to find a better phrase, to not use the following word, "floating."

Nathan intently looked at the carpet, tracing the mazelike pattern with his eyes until he found the mismatched seam, ending his easy meandering. He looked up. Her eyes begged to be told that she was insane, suffering a bizarre allergic reaction to an antibiotic.

"I don't know what to tell you, Heidi," Nathan slowly breathed in and out, "because I don't want to lie to you anymore."

"You aren't insane. You weren't just saying things because of the pain killers," Heidi stated thoughtfully as if she was removing the doubt that had clouded her feelings about her husband.

"I was told that early on I randomly conjugated Latin verbs. That was probably a reaction to the pain killers but um…the flying part, the bomb part, the accident part, those were true."

Heidi remained silent.

"Heidi, the night of the accident, I had never flown before that night. My body just reacted. I never meant to leave you in the car." Nathan lowered his head and became quiet, "I should have had my seatbelt on. It probably would have kept me in the car. Maybe I could have steered the car away divider. Even if I couldn't I would have at least been in the car with you."

Heidi looked hurt. "I never wanted you to get injured with me. I can't believe you thought for even a second that it would have been better for anyone concerned if you were hurt. It wouldn't have helped anything. Did you see the accident photos? You probably would have been killed if you were in the driver's seat." Heidi placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder causing him to look her in the eye. "The accident wasn't your fault. The fact is you flew out of the car. It doesn't matter to me if you actually…_flew_ out of the car."

Nathan exhaled a sigh of relief.

Heidi paused and thought about she was about to say. "What matters is that you weren't honest with me. Why didn't you tell me?"

Nathan was a little taken aback. "I was terrified. I thought I was going insane. This isn't supposed to be possible." Nathan stood up and began to pace between the sofas. "I was scared of what I could do. I didn't want you to be scared of me.

"And I knew that if I did tell you, that you'd have questions like, _how_ the hell I could fly, that you'd want answers and I had no idea what to tell you. I'm _still_ pretty fuzzy on the mechanics. I had no idea where to even start to look to figure it out. There's no pamphlet 'So Now You Can Fly'.

"Then Peter started to talk about floating and flying and then he jumped off a building to prove to me that he could fly but he couldn't and he plummeted and I flew up and caught him then," Heidi was simply watching him walk back and forth as he became increasingly agitated, "I dropped him. I dropped my little brother while we were floating hundred feet in the air. Thank god he started to fly or else…I don't want to think what would have happened." Nathan collapsed on the couch next to her. "All of this happened and I couldn't tell to you because I knew that you'd run screaming in the opposite direction because that was exactly what I wanted to do."

Nathan to a deep breath and said, "After Peter exploded; I realized, not only that I couldn't keep this from you, but that I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to be _in_ on the big family secret.

"So, I told you. I told you everything." Nathan smiled a tight smile and looked Heidi straight in the eye, "And you left me. I was honest, more honest than I had been in while, and you took my boys and you left me."

Heidi started to tear, "I thought you loopy on pain meds. When I told your mother what you said, she told me about your dad. She basically said that you were insane and that I should leave." Her tears were now freely flowing down her cheeks. "She said that you deserved to not to be subjected to my presence and that I should leave.

"And for some bizarre reason I thought the right thing to do for you and the boys. I have no idea how I could have thought that it was an even acceptable idea but, I did so; I left and came down here."

Nathan took one of her hands in his and used his other hand to wipe some of the tears away. He kept his hand on her face, holding it. "How about, from this point on," Nathan said slowly and quietly, "we assume that any advice my mother gives is a very bad idea and that we should probably do the exact opposite of what she says."

They looked at one another and Heidi slowly nodded. "Okay," she replied as they pulled one another into a tight hug. "That sound's like a _very_ good plan."

* * *

Nathan looked at his watch. "I'd better head out. The boys are probably due home soon and if I'm here when they get home, I'll never leave." 

"Yeah, you're right." Heidi glanced at her watch. "What time's your train?" Nathan attempted to stifle a laugh. "What?"

"Heidi," Nathan explained, "I didn't take the train. I flew."

"Oh." Heidi stared at Nathan. "Okay."

"You doing okay with this?" Nathan asked, worried that any progress he made went out the window with his latest revelation.

"I think I'm doing okay. It's just going to take a little while for me to process everything."

"That's good. We still have a lot to talk about."

"Since expense of traveling apparently isn't an issue, why don't come back down next Saturday. We can talk some more."

"Sounds like a plan." Nathan thought for a second, "Could I go out the back? There aren't any lights out there and there's no reason for me to walk across the street to hide from you when I take off."

Heidi once again stared before replying, "Okay. Why not?"

"Thanks." Nathan hugged Heidi as they headed to the backyard. Exiting out the French doors, Nathan continued out into the middle of the yard as Heidi stayed closer to the house. "I'll see you next week." He waved quickly before bending his knees and taking to the skies.

Heidi simply stood gaping at the sky for several minutes.

* * *

A/N:Please R&R 


	4. Test Flight

A/N:I was stuck at home because of the ice storm that swept through OK and Texas. All I could do was write. Bad news for me and my finals. Good news for you.

* * *

Nathan dialed his cell phone from Peter's Lower East Side apartment that had become his home. He listened to the electronic ring as he waited for the other end to pick up. 

"Hello," Heidi answered.

"Heidi, it's Nathan. When's a good time for me to be there."

"Hi, Nathan, anytime fine for me. The boys are on a camping trip with their Cub Scout troops this weekend so, we don't have to be worried about them."

"Okay, I'll head that way." Nathan began to put on his jacket, "What's the weather like down there?"

Heidi glanced out the window up at the sky. "It's clear, not hot, not cold. Why?"

"Just wondering. Is it alright if I land in the backyard?"

"Sure," Heidi answered before she can think. _I need to be supportive of him being open with me_.

"Great. I'll be there in less than twenty minutes. Bye."

"Bye," Heidi hung up the cordless phone. "Wait, twenty minutes?"

* * *

Nathan landed in the backyard nineteen minutes after their phone call. Heidi was seated outside in an Adirondack chair, apparently awaiting his arrival. "Over two hundred miles in twenty minutes. This will take a little getting used to." Nathan's gaze flickered over to the fence separating the yard from the neighbor's. "Don't worry. It's too early on a Saturday for anyone to be awake let alone trying to eavesdrop on the neighbors." 

Nathan shrugged, "I've always been an early bird."

"I know," Heidi started to head inside with Nathan in tow. "How are doing?"

"Fine, you?" They continued into the kitchen.

"Pretty good, all things considered." Heidi began to pour them coffee. "It's just hard for me to wrap my head around some of this. I can't imagine what it's like to fly." They sat together at the table as she slowly added sugar and cream to her mug and Nathan sipped his black coffee.

"It's amazing, freeing. It's just what you'd think flying would be like." Nathan smiled at the memory. "It's just…neat," he concluded at a rare loss for words.

"Wow. You really love it don't you," Heidi observed.

"Yeah," Nathan realized in a moment of self-reflection, "I really do. It's kind of weird. Never thought that I could like it but it's kind of relaxing." He drained the remainder of his coffee and said, "That's why I want take you up, take you flying with me."

Heidi stopped with her mug halfway up and stared at Nathan. "What?"

"It's one thing for me to describe it, another for you to experience it." Nathan explained. "I think this could help you understand, for you not have to imagine it and get the wrong impression."

Heidi put down her mug realizing that it was still hanging from her hand. "You can fly with other people?"

"I can carry them. I've done it before with Peter."

"And you said that you dropped him." Heidi stood up from the table and took the two mugs to the sink.

"Once," Nathan stood and followed closely behind her. "Okay twice but the first time I caught him in midair and never got a good grip and the second time he was exploding and pried himself away to give me a chance to get away. Give me some credit. I've gotten better since then. You'll be easier to carry anyway; you're lighter and not nuclear."

Heidi laughed nervously as she continued to rinse out the mugs. "I'm sorry, Nathan. This is just a little too much. It's not that I don't trust you, Nathan, I do. That's not the issue."

Nathan realized he needed to change his strategy. "Okay maybe flying over Washington was too big a first step. What if we go into the living room and we float." Heidi still looked apprehensive. "Six inches, over thick carpet. We can put pillows on the floor if it would make you feel better."

Heidi giggled at the juvenile suggestion. "You really want me to do this, don't you?"

"I can't figure out any other way." Nathan's eyes pleaded.

Heidi knew that look and said, "Okay. How do we do this?"

"Thank you." He led her into the middle of the room. "Um…why don't you stand on my feet and I'll hold you around your waist."

"Really?" Heidi asked. Seeing Nathan's face, she stepped onto his feet and placed her arms around his neck. After a few seconds of this, she said, "Okay, I feel like I'm six again. When are we going to start this floating thing?"

Nathan smiled knowingly. "Heidi," his eyes flicked down to their feet and back up to her eyes.

Heidi followed suit and saw the shadow on the floor cast by the two of them.

"Whoa," Heidi instinctively tightened her grip around Nathan's neck. After a few moments she loosed her arms so she could look at Nathan and take in the living room from a few inches higher than usual.

"Want to go higher?" Nathan asked seeing her interest. She just nodded, at a loss for words.

* * *

They stayed in for lunch and talked over sandwiches. After they finished Heidi washed their plates and Nathan dried. "For Christmas we need to get your parents a dish washer." 

"You say that every time I ask you to dry after I wash. It still hasn't happened."

Getting out mugs and starting the coffee maker Heidi asked, "So when are we going to tell the boys?"

"About the fact I can fly or that we might be getting back together?"

"Both," Heidi answered simply after a moment of thought.

"About us, I don't think we should tell them until we're sure one way or the other. I don't want them to get their hopes up in case something happens to derail this. We still have a lot to talk about." Heidi nodded in agreement with this sentiment.

"And about the flying thing, I don't think we need to tell them unless they manifest."

"What do you mean by 'manifest'?" The moment the words escaped her lips she understood. "You mean that they could fly too."

"I don't know. Maybe, someday. Heidi, what I can do, it's genetic. What that means for the boys, I don't know. Even if they do develop an ability there's no guarantee what it'll be. I've met a father and son that both have the same ability so I know it can be passed down.

"I know that _I_ can pass it down." Nathan paused, deciding whether or not to disclose something he had hidden for the entirety of their marriage. "I had, _have_ a daughter. Before we got married, when I was stationed in Texas, I was involved with a woman. The woman became pregnant. Once I found out, I intended to marry her and provide for her and the child. I called my parents and told them. My mother wanted to meet the mother of her first grandchild and she came down to where we were living. After five minutes with my mother, Meredith informed me that she and her child would not have anything to do with me or my family. She left me. A month later I transferred and began my training to be a pilot.

"After the baby was born, Meredith sent me a picture of baby. Later few letters followed. Because I still wanted to provide for them, I wired money to them every payday. This went on for about a year and a half until a fire destroyed the building where they were living. I got leave to go to their funeral. Only my parents and I ever knew about them.

"Meredith contacted me two weeks before the election. They both had been alive for the last sixteen years. Claire was adopted. I met her. She has the ability to heal herself. While I was in the hospital her father sent me a letter telling me, in no uncertain terms, to stay away from her and his family. He does not want his daughter to have anything to do with me."

Heidi had simply been listening and remained silent several minutes after Nathan had finished speaking. "Please leave, Nathan," she whispered.

"What?"

"Please leave. I'll call you if and when I want to speak to you again." Heidi's voice never rose above a whisper, which made it all the more powerful and terrifying. "Just go."

Nathan silently stood up and walked out the backdoor. He bent his knees and flew up into the sky. He did not say a word until he had landed on Peter's fire escape and climbed in the open window. He closed his eyes and said the only thing that had bounced around his head for the previous twenty minutes: "Shit."

* * *

A/N:Please R&R 


	5. Interlude

**Disclaimer**: Owned by NBC.

* * *

"Thanks for dropping them off." 

"No problem. I'll see you at the next PTA meeting."

Simon interrupted their polite goodbye. "Mom, guess what."

As she simply waved as she closed the door Heidi replied in her interested, excited mom voice, "What?"

"I flew!"

"You flew?!" Heidi hid her true reaction. She silently thanked years of society functions and practice holding her tongue.

"Yeah! There was this wire and it was really, really high off the ground and there was this weird belty thing that I put on and they put it on the wire and I jumped off the platform and it was _so cool_. It felt like I was flying. Mrs. Johansson took pictures."

"That's great, Simon." Heidi's heart began to return to its normal rate. "Go tell your brother to get cleaned up for dinner."

Heidi waited until he was out of sight and she heard him yell "Monty! Mom says clean up for dinner!" She crumpled into a small heap on the bench in her parent's front hall.

* * *

Late Sunday night, after continuously mulling over what Simon said, Heidi came to terms with the fact that she needed Nathan. 

There were many things that Heidi could do for her children; clean their wounds, listen to their problems. She had always tried to be there for her kids. Before the accident, she hadn't used a nanny and, now that she was physically able, never intended to again. She wanted to be all things to Simon and Monty.

However, as much as she wanted to, Heidi knew that she wouldn't be able to help either of her boys if they-what was the word Nathan used-manifested.

Her boys needed Nathan. Heidi knew that Nathan most likely felt equally as ill-equipped to deal with the possibility but, _if_ it happened, he at least had some experience waking up and be able to do something typically relegated to the world of comic books.

Nathan above all loved his children. She always said that he would sooner leap off the Chrysler building than hurt his kids. She also knew that being away from their father hurt her boys as much as it did Nathan. Now that Heidi knew that Nathan was not a danger to himself or others, keeping Nathan away would be cruel, to both the boys and to him.

* * *

A/N: Please R&R. (I'll take anything) 


	6. Return

**Disclaimer**: Owned by NBC

* * *

In an attempt to maintain some semblance of dignity, Heidi didn't call Nathan for another three days.

On Wednesday, Nathan's phone rang. He answered his phone quickly as if he were worried that the caller would hang up if subjected to waiting for more than a single ring. "Heidi?"

"Hi, Nathan," Heidi answered, slightly taken aback at the greeting. "How did you know it was me?"

"I didn't," Nathan answered timidly. "I've answered every phone call I've gotten the last few days like that." He took a deep breath before continuing "I was worried that I'd kept one too many things from you and you'd finally had enough and would never speak to me again."

"I was ready to do that. But I needed to think about what will be the best for Simon and Monty.

"I wanted to know if you could come by the house tomorrow morning. We still need to talk some more, about everything."

"Sure. I'll be there after the boys leave for school."

"Okay. Bye."

* * *

Heidi paced in the backyard frantically trying to dial Nathan's number in an attempt to catch him before he left to meet her.

Nathan pulled on his jacket and was about to leave Peter's apartment though the window in living room that led to a fire escape, his most often used exit. As he opened the window, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. "Hello."

"Nathan, don't land in the backyard. My parents are back from their cruise early."

"Why?"

Heidi anxiously glanced at her mother's plaster covered leg. "I'll explain later. Do you remember the mall by my parents'?"

"Kind of. Why?"

"Meet me in the parking lot."

"Okay. I'm heading out now." Nathan simply agreed. If Heidi wasn't going to cancel their meeting, he wouldn't dare.

* * *

Nathan saw Heidi's red sedan from the air. He thanked the gods of poor urban planning for the empty nearly parking lot as he landed. "Do you feel like we're back where we started, hiding me from your parents."

"A little. Personally I was not missing those days."

"Me neither." They stood in an awkward silent for a few tense seconds.

"So let's go to New York."

Nathan simply stared at her. "What?"

"We need to go to somewhere private and short of finding a hotel that rents by the hour, I'm out of ideas."

"Where in New York?" Nathan asked, desperately trying to find a flaw in Heidi's plan.

"It's a big city, you'll find somewhere. Let's go."

"If you wanted to come to New York, you could have driven."

"We don't have time for me to be stuck in a car for six hours if we want to work though anything today." Heidi held her ground, "Besides you wanted me to do this with you. Let's go."

"Yeah but…" Nathan started argue but stopped short when he caught sight of Heidi's expression. It was the same look she gave Simon and Monty when they tried to get their way after she had already laid down the law. "Okay," he acquiesced. "Grab your jacket. It's cold."

"I'll be okay. It's not going to be that cold in New York."

"No," Nathan self-consciously clarified pointing skyward, "up there."

"Oh," Heidi pulled her jacket from the backseat and yanked her purse from the front. She put on her coat and slung her large bag across her body. "Okay, I'm ready."

Nathan started to put his arms around her when she cried, "Wait." She stepped back and locked her car and readjusted her purse to lie across her front that would form a barrier between her and Nathan.

Nathan quietly snickered at her attempt to keep some propriety during their flight. "You set?" Heidi nodded definitely. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she draped hers around his neck. Heidi felt Nathan take a deep breath as he bent his knees and pushed off from the ground.

* * *

"How are you doing?" Nathan asked over New Jersey.

"Do you have to keep rolling over?"

"If we want to know where we are, yes" Nathan replied simply. To keep from having Heidi hang for the entire trip Nathan had been flying with his back to the ground and thus having Heidi lay on him. Every ten miles or so Nathan rolled to see the ground and track their progress. "It's not much further. We just passed Philadelphia."

"How can you tell?" All she could see was urban sprawl streaking past.

Nathan smiled a smile that she couldn't see and said, "Practice."

* * *

"We're almost there." They were right above Newark.

"Great," Heidi sighed with relief.

Nathan started to slow and descend. Just at that moment a large fluffy cloud was blown straight into their path.

Landing on the fire escape, Nathan continued to apologize, "I'm sorry. By the time I saw the cloud it was too late to stop." Heidi stood soaking wet across from an equally sodden Nathan.

"It's okay." Heidi shivered and jerked her head toward the window and asked "Is this a pit stop or are we going inside?"

"Right." Nathan opened the window and gestured for her to go ahead of him. "I've been staying here for the last few months. It didn't want to leave the city and I didn't want to stay with Ma," Nathan explained as he followed her though the window.

"You need to change out of those wet clothes. Let me get you some sweats." Heidi looked nervous at the prospect of lounging around her late brother-in-law's apartment in her somewhat-estranged husband's clothing. "I just don't want you to get pneumonia."

"Okay," Heidi replied, taking the dark gray sweat pants and navy Columbia sweat shirt and heading through the bedroom, toward the bathroom.

Nathan began to strip out of his wet clothes. After pulling on a pair of dry pants, Nathan felt someone else's presence. Nathan walked out of the bedroom and saw his brother and a curly haired woman.

"Hi, Nathan," Peter greeted. Gesturing to the wide-eyed woman still clinging to his arm, "I'd like you to meet Caitlin."

Nathan was about to assault his brother with questions when they heard, "Nathan, do you have any empty hangers?" Heidi came into the living room and caught sight of Peter.

"Hey, Heidi," Peter had a suggestive smile created by the sight of his half-dressed brother and his wife looking for somewhere to put her clothes.

The color drained out of Heidi's face and she fell to the floor.

Nathan rubbed the bridge of his nose and muttered feebly, "Not again."

* * *

A/N: Hope you are enjoying the story. Please R&R. 


	7. Introduction

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.

* * *

"Could you help get her on the bed?" Nathan weakly asked. Nathan lifted Heidi's head and chest while Peter grabbed her legs. They shuffled toward Peter's queen sized bed. 

"Sorry if we interrupted," Peter apologized.

As they sat her down on the bed, Nathan responded, "Interrupted what?"

"You and Heidi." Nathan still wasn't following. "Nathan, she's in your sweats and you're half-naked."

Nathan started chuckle. Between the bouts of laughter he explained, "We went through a cloud. We were soaked through. I had her change into some dry clothes so she wouldn't get cold."

"Oh. I just assumed married couple and all. Wait, you went through a_cloud_."

"Yeah, Pete," Nathan said as he pulled a shirt out of the closet, "I flew her up from DC." Peter looked dumbfounded. "She's been staying with her parents' for the last few months. We've been trying to work things out. I decided to tell her. I told her about everything-the accident, Claire-everything."

Peter glanced at Heidi's still unconscious form, "Clearly not everything. Right before she went out, I heard her think 'Oh my God, my brother-in-law's back from the dead.'" Peter smirked, "Forget to mention something?"

Nathan became slightly defensive, "I spouted for four months that you were alive and that you were coming back. Nobody believed me. Admittedly saying it after drinking heavily did nothing to help my case. Everybody thought I was having problems letting you go, admitting that you were gone. I was waiting to tell Heidi until I had proof, like you, standing in front of her, alive. She wouldn't have believed me if I just told her."

"Fair enough," Peter admitted.

Heidi began to stir. Nathan knelt at her side and said, "Honey? You back with us?"

Heidi was still in a haze, "I pass out again?"

"Yeah, seems to becoming a trend," Nathan replied with a smile.

Peter reentered nurse mode, "How are you feeling?"

Heidi paled slightly again, "Fine, a little confused but that's normal."

"No dizziness or blurred vision?"

"No, I'm good," Heidi sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood up and hugged Peter with all her might. "It's really great to see you again," she said with tears in her eyes as Peter returned her embrace.

"It's good to see you too." They broke apart.

"You cut your hair," Heidi noticed weakly as she ran her hand through his short hair.

"Yeah, guess I did." He added in a stage whisper, "I heard that you're in on the big secret."

"Yeah," Heidi said. "I think I've handled the news well. I really just wish that Nathan had told me sooner."

"I tried to get him to do it but you know how stubborn he is."

Nathan interjected, "I am in the room."

"And he always needed a lot of attention," Peter continued with a smile. "Sorry," he apologized, "I've missed out on four months of ribbing you. I gotta make up for lost time."

Heidi looked through the doorway and asked, "Who's that?"

Peter turned around and realized that Caitlin had been left alone in the living room. She was looking out the window. Peter smiled like a kid on Christmas morning, "Come on. I want you to meet someone."

Leading them out of his bedroom, Peter continued over to Caitlin and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the sudden pressure. "Oh," she sighed, "sorry I was taking in view. That's New York out there. It looks a lot better."

Peter smiled at her excitement. "Caitlin, this is my brother Nathan and his wife, Heidi. Guys, this is Caitlin."

"Nice to meet you both," she said extending her hand.

* * *

They had an authentic New York lunch, take out. While they ate, they talked. Heidi had changed back into her own clothes. 

"And after Ricky left, I went in and cleaned him up. He was so pretty underneath all that blood," Caitlin concluded. Peter continued to eat while Nathan and Heidi had stopped eating their mooshu pork about the time Caitlin had graphically described how she had watched while her criminal brother and his gang throttled Peter.

"So," Heidi broke the silence, "how long have you known Peter?"

"What would you say, Peter; a week or so?"

"About that," Peter agreed. Seeing Nathan and Heidi's somewhat shocked faces, he added, "When I was in Ireland, we spent almost all of our time together. We got really close."

"I can tell," Nathan had watched the looks that they had been giving one another.

Caitlin suddenly asked, "Can either of you do anything like Peter?" Nathan, who had begun to eat again, stopped with noodles hanging out of mouth. Caitlin instantly backpedaled, saying, "I'm sorry if that was rude. I was curious and I don't know the proper protocol for asking."

"What kind of things can you do, Peter?" Nathan, after swallowing his noodles, stared at Heidi, who simply said "What? I'm curious too."

"Pete?" Nathan tried to defer to his brother.

"Caitlin asked you first," Peter stated juvenilely.

Nathan gave up and said to Caitlin, "I can fly." Turning to Peter, and saying with a smile, "Your turn."

"Wait, fly?" Caitlin asked, not letting Nathan's confession pass without further explanation, "What do you mean?"

"Superman, clouds between your knees," Nathan elaborated with a satisfied smirk. "Once again, Pete, your turn."

Admitting defeat, "I can basically absorb the abilities of others around me. Nathan can fly, I can fly. We know someone who can read minds, I can read minds. With some of what I can do, I still kinda suck, need more practice. Like with time travel, I meant to come back at least two weeks ago, closer to when I left." Each of his dining companions stared at him.

"I'm double jointed," Heidi offered, breaking the tension. "I can't do anything like these two."

"Me either," added Caitlin. "I can cook pretty decent. My brother and I owned a pub in Cork. I guess I still own it." Concern and confusion passed over Nathan and Heidi's faces. "My brother was killed. An American woman came in to the pub. She was looking for Peter. My brother had sent us away to my flat. He died trying to protect me and Peter."

"He sounds like a really good guy," Nathan said.

Peter had moved closer to Caitlin and put his arms around her to comfort her. "Yeah, he was," Peter replied as Caitlin unconsciously rubbed her left forearm.

* * *

Checking her watch, Heidi said, "I hate to leave but I need to get back to my parents' before Simon and Monty get home from school." 

"You have kids?" asked Caitlin.

"Yeah, two boys. I have a picture," she dug in her purse and produced the photo they had used for the previous Christmas's card. Handing the photo over to Caitlin, she pointed out, "that's Simon and that's Monty. They're really great kids."

"They are so hansom. They look a lot like their dad."

"Yeah, they act like him too."

Peter and Nathan sat on the couch as they watched the girls gush over the photos Heidi continued to pull out. "They just forgot we existed, didn't they?"

Nathan nodded, "Yeah, I think they just did." Nathan got up and moved to the bedroom. Peter followed.

"Have you given any thought to where Caitlin's going to stay?"

Peter shrugged, "Not really. I just figured out as far as getting her out back to the past. I wasn't even really focusing on coming back_here_, to the apartment, to be honest. I just wanted somewhere I felt was safe.

"I'll probably offer to take her back to Ireland, let her stay there if she wants. If not she'll still need to go back and take care of some things; her flat, the pub.

"Nathan, what do you think of her?"

Nathan thought for a second, "She's really sweet. She seems kindhearted but is still strong willed, doesn't take any crap. I think she's great. But what matters is what _you_ think of her."

"I love her, Nate. When I couldn't remember my past, it really didn't matter. All I wanted was to have her for my future. I still feel that way."

"I'm glad you have someone. I hope Heidi and I can keep on this track. I think we're close to getting back together."

"I hope so. You two were made for each other."

"Nathan, we really need to go." They heard Heidi cry from the living room.

"I'll see you, later," Nathan said as they moved to the living room. Turning to Caitlin, "It was great to meet you. I hope I'll see you again soon."

"Me too." She gave Heidi a quick hug. "We'll talk later."

Instead of heading for the door like Peter and Caitlin thought, Nathan and Heidi moved toward the window. Catching their looks, Nathan said "Convenient take off point. No one would see us. You live off an alley."

"And I never thought that you would admit that was a good thing," Peter added with great joy.

"Bye, Pete." Nathan ended any discussion as he followed Heidi out the window. He once again gripped Heidi around the waist as she looped her arms around his neck. She made no effort to adjust her purse.

After seeing a quick wave from the inside of the apartment, Nathan took to the skies.

Caitlin stared for a second before breathing, "Whoa."

* * *

A/N: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy New Year...Whatever. Happy Holidays. Please R&R 


	8. Reunion

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

* * *

Nathan landed with Heidi back in the suburban shopping center shortly before 3 in the afternoon. "All off, last stop," Nathan announced. Heidi giggled. She had relaxed and kind of enjoyed the flight. She even asked Nathan to identify various landmarks as they passed high in the air. 

"I didn't get to ask when we were at Peter's. What do you think of flying?"

"It's…fast," Heidi concluded after a moment's thought. "I think it could be fun, once I got used to it. It would be neat to see the city from really high, if we could go slower and take our time."

"We'll have to try that later," agreed Nathan. "You should be able to get home before the boys do. I'd ask you to give them my love but…" he finished with a shrug. Nathan missed his boys. The last time he had seen them was thru wrought iron bars.

"Why don't you come home with me?"

"Really?" Nathan's face lit up with hope and joy at the prospect however, his expression was tempered by the fear that Heidi would change her mind.

"The boys are dying to see you again. I want them to spend some time with their dad. They have really missed that."

"I've missed it, too."

"Come on," Heidi said while walking around her car to the driver's side. "We'll drive there and discuss what to tell them on the way." Nathan eagerly opened the passenger door and got in.

* * *

"Hi, I'm home," Heidi called as she walked in the door. Nathan followed closely like he was sixteen again and being snuck into a girl's room. 

"Hey, Sweety. Could you help me to bathroom?"

"I'm not alone," she hollered again, giving Nathan an embarrassed smile. Nathan silently snickered.

"Sorry, but I still need help." They continued to the living room where Heidi's mother was prone on the couch with her leg in a cast. Her eyes widened at the sight of Nathan. "Hello, Nathan. It's good to see you again. You're looking well."

"Hi, Doreen. Wish I could say the same. What happened?"

Heidi grabbed her mother's crutches and helped her up. "I'll tell you in one second. I've got to..." she jerked her toward the bathroom.

"'Course," Nathan cleared out of her way while she hobbled out of the room. "What happened?" he asked Heidi.

"My mother is the only person in either history of the world who can break her leg while playing shuffle board," Heidi said as she plopped down on the couch.

"Is she doing okay?" Nathan asked with concern.

"It was clean break. It should heal fine. They just wanted to come home after it happened."

"Where's your dad?"

Heidi's mom hobbled back into the room, "He went to pick the boys up from school. They should be home soon."

"Grandma, we're home," Nathan recognized Monty's voice.

"Boys, can you come into the living room," Heidi called, giving Nathan a sly smile.

"What do you…DAD!" Simon dropped his backpack in the middle of the room as he ran to his father. Monty quickly followed. Nathan opened his arms and embraced his children.

"Hey, guys. It's so good see you."

Monty piped up, "You shaved."

"Yeah, you guys said didn't like it," Nathan explained.

"Do you want to see our room?" Simon asked.

"Wait, do you guys have homework?" Heidi interrupted their reunion.

"Just a math worksheet," Simon answered quickly.

"Me too," added Monty

"Do you guys need any help?" asked Nathan.

* * *

Five minutes later Nathan was seated at the kitchen table with Simon and Monty on either side of him. They each had their homework out and each was trying to gain Nathan's attention. Heidi stood in the doorway and watched. 

"Heidi," her mother called her, motioning for her to sit next to her. Reluctantly, Heidi left her vantage point and sat down. "How are you doing? You and Nathan?"

"I think we're doing really good. He and I started talking after you and Dad left on your cruise. We talk some things out."

"So our suggestion did work," her mom added with no small bit of pride.

"Yes. You were right. Talking did work." Heidi added, "I think we're on our way to getting back together."

"That's wonderful, Sweety." She gave her daughter an awkward hug, keeping her plastered leg straight out in front of her, propped up on an ottoman.

* * *

Later that evening, after going out to eat at a Chuck E. Cheese knock-off, Nathan was trying to tell Simon and Monty, "Good Night". 

"Let's play a game," begged Monty.

"You guys have school tomorrow. I'll be back."

"When?" asked Simon in the kind of voice only a child can possess, a whine filled desperation and pleading.

"Soon, I promise," Nathan attempted to placate his sons' fervent desire to be with him. Seeing their hesitation, "Get ready for bed and I'll be in to tuck you in." they ran to their room, thrilled at the prospect of participating in the mundane ritual that they had been denied for nearly five months.

Turning to Heidi, Nathan said, "It'll take some time for them to believe that I'll always come back, again."

"Can't say I blame them. You said that you'd see them in a few hours and they don't see you for four months." Heidi explained, "They're just scared."

"I guess I'll just have to come back when I say I'll come back. Work on rebuilding their trust. A lot of that I need to do."

"You're doing fine with me," Heidi reassured him, giving him a quick, gentle kiss. "Just keep up the good work."

Nathan smiled and returned her kiss with one of his own, his lasting longer. When he broke away from her, Nathan said, "Better go tuck 'em in. Work on rebuilding that trust."

* * *

After saying his goodbyes to Heidi, Nathan walked out of the house and began to walk down the street. As he walked, he stared at the sky and contemplated going home to his brother and his brother's girlfriend. Not willing to allow his mind to go to that place, he called Peter and told him that he was staying in the DC area. 

"Thanks, Nate. That'll give me and Caitlin some quality time tonight."

"No problem," Nathan said and then hung up, thereby cutting off any further description of his brother's plans. Nathan simply preferred to take a "head in the sand" approach to his brother's love life.

* * *

Nathan found a hotel that was clean and cheap. He didn't need to splurge on anywhere too nice for one night's rest. While he lay on the small bed, he thought about home.

* * *

A/N: Happy New Year. Please R&R. 


	9. Home

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated. I had my wisdom teeth out and couldn't be awake much less write. I'll try and update again soon.

* * *

Nathan woke up the next morning and flew home. He hadn't been to Hyde Park since he was released from the hospital after his miraculous recovery. He had come home to an empty house. He had not allowed himself to believe that Heidi and his boys were gone.

Heidi had cleared out her clothes and took most of the boys' things. Family photos and mementos still studded the rooms.

Nathan walked into the house again and once again sensed the emptiness.

It hurt.

* * *

Nathan knew this request really needed to be presented with care and tact but, damn it, he was stubborn. He knew it and he accepted it. Nathan wanted this to happen and he would not rest until he was living with his family again.

* * *

A/N: Please R&R 


	10. Date

A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner but Microbiology unfortunately takes priority over fanfiction.

* * *

Nathan stood in front of Peter's mirror retying his tie. "Nervous?"Peter enquired with a small smile, as he sat on his bed and watched.

"What makes you say that?" Nathan muttered as he attempted to center the knot in his collar opening.

"Because you're putting on the Superman tie I gave you for your birthday," Peter answered with an innocent, yet amused expression.

Nathan lifted the end of the tie to see the yellow and red symbol on what he thought was his solid blue tie. Sighing he pulled off the tie and said, "I guess I am a little nervous. Quality tie, though," he added feeling the silky texture and placing the tie back in the closet. Nathan was still living in Peter's small apartment and Peter, having only had five years of living full time with his brother, was more than happy to have him.

"What time are you meeting Heidi?" Peter asked, glancing at the wall clock.

"Seven. I'm meeting her in a parking lot so we can drive to the restaurant together. It's safer and Heidi said that flying messes up her hair." Nathan had his head and upper body completely in the closet and said, "I'll have plenty of time to get there if I can find the right tie. Got it" he extricated himself, holding his blue tie.

"Okay," Nathan squared his tie in the mirror, "I'm set. I'm leaving."

Peter jumped up from the bed. Smoothing Nathan's lapels like he going to prom, he said "Have fun. Watch for planes. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Thanks, Pete," Nathan said as he crawled out the window. "Don't wait up."

* * *

Nathan and Heidi had a very romantic dinner at a nice DC area restaurant. They didn't discuss superpowers, genetics or certain segments of the family tree.

* * *

As they were leaving the restaurant arm in arm, Heidi got a somewhat mischievous look in her eye. "Do you remember that coffee shop with that really great tiramisu?"

"You're talking about the place where I asked you to marry me," Nathan replies grinning at the memory. "Only slightly, why?"

As she slid into the driver's seat, she answered, "'Cause I'm really craving some of that tiramisu right now."

Nathan waited until he was safely in the car and away from prying ears. "You want to go to New York? _Now_?"

"Why not?" she asked, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Nathan could see that she was serious and as eager to continue their night as he was. "Okay," he said with a smile to match, "Let's find somewhere where we can take off."

Heidi replied by shifting the car in to the next gear.

* * *

Nathan cupped his hand over his eyes to peer into the darkened shop. "Well, I think they're closed."

"Personally, the 'Closed' sign kind of tipped me off," Heidi teased, still smiling ear to ear from their tropospheric adventure.

"Anywhere else you'd like to go? London? Paris? Coney Island?" Nathan asked matching her mirth.

"Baskin Robbins on Broadway then, head home?" she suggested.

"Sure," Nathan masked his disappointment. He knew the evening would have to end. He was just hoping for it to last a little longer. "Ice cream and then, I'll take you back to your car."

Heidi looked apprehensive, "If that's what you'd like to do."

"What do you mean? You said you wanted to head home after ice cream."

"Yeah, Home. Not my parents'." Nathan still had a puzzled look on his face. "I'd like to go home, to Hyde Park."

Nathan weakly smiled not willing to allow himself to get too excited. "Alright, let's get some ice cream and head home."

* * *

A/N: I will try to update as soon as my academics allow. Please R&R.


	11. Dessert

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Enjoy!

* * *

They landed on their front steps that were hidden from prying eyes by several trees and a massive front gate. Retrieving the key from beneath a potted plant, Nathan opened the door and went inside with Heidi closely in tow.

Walking, almost out of habit, into the kitchen with their frozen bounty, Nathan broke the silence. "How did you know that the house wouldn't be filled to the brim with dust? I told you I hadn't been back here since I really realized that you were gone."

"Peter," Heidi replied simply.

"Ah. Calling him to get inside information?" Nathan said attempting to recapture some of the evening's mirth.

"_He_ called _me_," she responded defensively. "He wanted advice about Caitlin. I simply took the opportunity to ask him how you were doing. He told me that you were spending most of your time here. He also asked me if there was any trick to get our vacuum hose to work."

"Subtle, Pete," Nathan murmured.

"He just cares about you, that's all. And it is hard to inconspicuously steer the topic of conversation to vacuum cleaners."

"I know he cares. I just kind of wanted the whole house thing to be a secret. I didn't want you to think I was just haunting the place, pining away for the day you'd come back."

"Nathan, I wasn't thinking that." Heidi added jokingly, "I'm thinking that now."

"Ha ha," Nathan replied with a playfully annoyed smile. "I also happened to be gifted with the ability to pine and PineSol at the same time."

Nathan continued more solemnly, "I just couldn't stand the fact that the place where the great parts of my life happened looked so…dusty. It made it seem like all the great things that happened were from a different lifetime."

They sat in silence; the gravity of what had just been said weighing down the room.

After several minutes, Nathan broken the deafening quiet with, "I think our ice cream is melting."

"I don't care," Heidi said barely above a whisper. "I love you, Nathan. I love you and there is nothing in this world that can change that. I want to spend the rest of my life making more marvelous memories with you. As much as I want to be with you because I know the boys need you, I want to be with you because I need you. I love you too much not be with you. I want to be with you during the good times. I want to be with you during the bad times. I want to be with you during the times that the world seems to be falling down around our ears because I want it all. But most of all I want _you_."

Nathan stood silent.

Heidi, her eyes slightly damp from her speech, said, "Well, aren't going to say anythin-"

Her word was cut off by Nathan fervently kissing her with all his might.

After several minutes of intense embracing and numerous gasps for air, they broke apart slightly to allow Nathan to say, "I love you, Heidi."

* * *

The End

A/N: I hope You enjoyed _Get Your Family Back_

Please review and give your opinions


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